Arch support



y 1934- F. A. MELCHIONNA 59,034

ARCH SUPPORT Filed D90. 4 1931 f3. j M

Patented May 15, 1934 UNiTED STATES PATENT ARCH SUPPORT Frank A. Melchionna, Cincinnati, Ohio Application December 4, 1931, Serial No. 578,997

11 Claims.

This invention relates to an arch support member known as a shoe shank and adapted for incorporation in a shoe during the formation of the latter. a

'5 An object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and efficient article of the class described.

Another object is to provide a metal shoe shank having the qualities of tempered metal but formed of untempered metal.

" making for a greater degree of comfort in the shoe with which it is utilized.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and set forth in the accompanying illustrations, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a shoe shank of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same.

Fig. 3 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the forward portion of a modified form of shank.

Fig. 5 is another modified form of the shank of this invention.

Fig. 6 is .a cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a det i1 view of a metatarsal pad or support of this 1 vention and adapted for use with the shanks herein set forth.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of one of the shanks show- 4 ing the application thereto of one of the metatarsal pads and also of a heel plate with which the shank is adapted to. cooperate.

' Fig. 9 is a detail view showing a modified form of metatarsal pad.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of another modified form of shoe shank for use especially with cemented soles.

Fig. 11 is a cross sectional view taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 10.

The commonest known forms of shoe shank devices are formed of flat or channel shaped pieces of metal which are liable to be bent out of their original supporting shape after a period of use. This difiiculty has been overcome to some extent 5 by the use of channel formed shoe shanks providis a cross-sectional View taken on line the channel 12 to provide the flanges 13.

ed with some filling material such as cork. This entails further manufacturing problems and increases the expense of production without solving the problem satisfactorily due to the likelihood of the filling material becoming displaced or becoming cracked or distorted so as not to perform its proper function. Other disadvantages have been encountered in the older type of shoe shanks one of the most serious of which has been the tendency of the exposed edges of these members to cut the leather, fabric, or other material with which they might be associated. The present invention overcomes diiiiculties such as the ones described by providing a shoe shank having its longitudinal edges turned inwardly upon itself whereby the shoe shank is not only given a permanent form regardless of hard usage but likewise has its edges formed to preclude wearing contact with adjacent materials and instead of the usual sharp lateral edges, a pair of smooth rounded longitudinal edges is provided. By this flanged construction the shoe shank is so strengthened .as to render filling material unnecessary. Furthermore the added strength thus attained obviates the necessity of tempering the metal of which the members are formed. Further means and modifications will be brought out in the course of the following description.

The first form of shank support illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 comprises the metal body portion 10 formed substantially into the bow shape seen in Fig. 2 and further bent upon a central longitudinal line to provide the annular cross section seen in Fig. 3 whereby the strengthening ridge 11 and the channel form of the shank are effected. The ridge l1 gradually diminishes so that at the rear the shank is substantially flat as will be seen in Fig. 2. The longitudinal lateral portions ofthe body 10 are turned inwardly of The blank of which the shank is formed'is laterally out upon arcuate lines to provide greater width through its transverse center than at its ends so that when the flanges 13 are formed, said flanges are of greater width along the body portion of the shank than at the ends thereof so that those parts of the shank which endure the greatest strain are equal to the strain imposed. The flanges likewise strengthen the shank against breaking or distortion under the pressure of the levelling machine normally utilized in the formation of a shoe. The rear end 14 of the shank is fork shaped to permit use of a drill and insertion of a screw when wood heels are positioned, and provides a pair of fingers 15 along the greater portions of which the flanges 13 extend. The flanges 13 are cut off short of the forward end of the shank as indicated at 16. Said forward end is then formed to provide a shallow bowl portion 17 made usually with the side portions 18 in which terminate the lateral portions forming the ridge 11, and forming likewise the flattened portion 19 which when the shank is positioned is disposedin substantially the same plane as the outermost face of the insole of the shoe. A pair of perforations20 in the rear end 14 of the shank is utilized for suitably attaching the shank to the heel portion of the shoe. A short strengthening bead 150 may be pressed in end 14 to substantially the same level as flanges 14. 7 H H I The shank just described is suitable for use with either mens or womens shoes and may be provided in diiferent lengths and widths as found necessary with various shoe sizes.

The shank 21 illustrated in Fig. 5 is adapted for use with the McKay type, the turned and thecemented types of womens shoes and is made narrower along its entire length. In this instance the dies by which the flanges 22 are turned inwardly are not brought together to as great an extent as in the formation of the shank first describedwhereby the flanges v22 lie substantially in the same plane since the insole of this type of shoe is substantially flat, whereas in the type previously described, the flanges. 13 are turned inwardly and likewise downwardly to a slight extent to compensate for the transverse curvature of the welt type of shoe. In some instances it is desirable to provide a. certain amount of resiliency in the shoe shank. Heretofore this has been accomplished by tempering the metal of the shoe shank. In Fig. 4 the means is shown for providing resiliency without tempering the metal. Longitudinal cuts 23 are made in the shank adjacent the forward end and in the body portion 10 thereof. These cuts 23 terminate a short distance above the bowl portion 17 so that the forward end of the shank will not be in any way weakened. This formation in connection with the in-turned flanges already described provides the necessary resiliency without endangering the permanent formation and curvature of' this portion of the shank.

The present invention likewise provides a metatarsal pad or support which is adapted to be associated with the bowl portion 1'7 of the shank. Two 'forms2'4 and'25' of the pad'are shown. Both may be formed of -rubber, fabric, or of metallic material. The 'pad'24 issubstantially oval'in outline and 'is thicker in its body portion than at its edges. At one end the pad 24 is out along two substantially parallel lines as indicated at 26 whereby a central tongue 27 and a pair of lateral tongues 28are formed. The cuts 26 at their inner ends terminate in perforations 29. The tongue '27 is inserted withinand beneath the lower ends thereof, such depression'being provided 'when'the pad is formed jof material permitting fle'xure. The modified pad 25' shown" in Fig. 9 is utilized for the 'same'purpose'as the one previously described and is of substantially the same formation except that the lateral tongues 28 are cut off whereby a greater ease in the positioning of the pad is attained and a single tongue 32 only is provided. As likewise illustrated in Fig. 8, the shanks of this invention are readily associated with heel plates such as the plate 33. In this instance the central extension 34 of such a heel plate is inserted beneaththe flanges at the rear end 14 of the shank and tacks or the like are inserted both through the perforations 35 formed in the extension 34 and through the perforations 20 of the shank, said sets of perforations being placed in registration.

Whether the shank is formed to be resilient or rigid the structure of this invention precludes distortion of the shank and assures permanent shape and long usage. The lowered longitudinal edges are proof against abrasion of the adjacent portions of the shoe so that the shank is not loosened due to the wearing away of the support material. Finally the cooperation of the shank with the metatarsal pads of the kind described and with the heel plate illustrated is efficient and readily effected.

A more inexpensive form of shank is shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The longitudinal ridge portion of the frame heretofore described is replaced by a bead 36, the adjacent portions 3'7 of the body being flat. This face of the shank, in contradistinction to the previous types, is placed in contact with the outer face of the insole. The lateral portions of the body are similarly turned upon themselves to provide a substantially convex face made up of flanges '38 :in non-parallel relationship with portions 3'? whereby longitudinal apex edges 39 are formed. Edges 39 are adapted to engage the leather of the outer sole upon its inner face and to be engaged by the hardened adhesive normally used in positioning the outer sole. This .1115 feature is especially important when the shank is used ,in connection. with the cemented sole process in which the shank just described prevents displacement of the cemented outer sole in thedirection of the forward end-of the shoe body. 120

The structure of the present invention is adapted to effect material saving since in most cases, it renders unnecessary the use of tempered metal. In some instances, however, it is found desirable to utilize tempered metal in forming T the shanks of this invention. In such instances, considerable saving is likewise effected, since a lighter gauge tempered metal may be used in the flanged construction herein described than was possible in the formation of older types of shoe shanks. Where it is desired to provide an unusual degree 'of resiliency at the front of the shank, the slotted or cut formation illustrated in Fig. 4*may be applied to tempered'metal whereby the resiliency is greatly increased. 5

What is claimed is:

1. A shoe shank-comprising a channel shaped bodyha'v'ing its lateral edge portions benttowards one another to provide rounded edges and strengthening flanges'extendin'g substaritiallythe full length of said body, abowl member formed at one end of the body and adapted-for association'witha suitablemetatarsal pad,'and means at the other end of said body for attaching the shank to a shoe. s

said flanges being adapted to lie against and con-.

form with the outer face of the shoe insole with which it is associated, a pair of attachment fingers formed at one end of said body, said flanges extending, one each along one of the fingers to efiect strengthening thereof, and a bowl portion formed at the other end of said body and adapted for association with a suitable metatarsal pad.

4. A metatarsal support adapted for use with a shoe shank provided with opposed lateral flanges at one end, said support comprising a pad of suitable material cut or formed to provide a tongue receivable between said flanges and the body of the shank for positioning the support said flanges being adapted to bear against the body of the pad for precluding displacement thereof.

5. Arch support means comprising a shoe shank with opposed flanges formed along its lateral edges and adapted to lie against and conform with the outer face of a shoe insole, a bowl member formed at one end of the shank, a metatarsal support comprising a pad of suitable material cut or formed to provide a tongue receivable between said flanges and the body of the shank, said bowl member being adapted to bear upon the body portion of said pad in the operative position of the pad and bowl member, and means at the other end of the shank for attachment thereof to the heel portion of a shoe.

6. The combination with a heel plate adapted for positioning between the heel and the adjacent bottom portion of a shoe and having a forwardlyprojecting extension thereon, of a shoe shank having opposed flanges formed on its lateral edges and extending substantially to the rear end of the shank, said extension being receivable between said flanges and the body of the shank for joining the heel plate and shank in operative position.

'7. A shoe shank having limited. resiliency and comprising a channel-shaped metal member with its lateral edges turned inwardly thereof and adapted in operative position to lie against and conform with the outer face of a shoe insole at the arch, a bowl member formed at one end of said metal member and adapted to effect metatarsal support, the body portion of the channel member adjacent said bowl being provided with cuts to effect resiliency of this part of the channel member, and means at the other end of said member for attachment thereof to the heel portion of a shoe.

8. A shoe shank comprising an elongated flat body adapted to contact the outer face of a shoe insole and having a central longitudinally-extending bead formed therein the lateral portions of the body being turned similarly upon themselves to provide a substantially convex face, the adjacent longitudinal edges of said lateral portions being adapted to engage the inner face of the outer sole of a shoe.

9. A shoe shank comprising an elongated body adapted to contact the outer face of a shoe insole and having a central longitudinally-exrtending bead formed therein the lateral portions of the body being turned similarly upon themselves toward one another, the adjacent longitudinal edges of said lateral portions being adapted to engage the inner face of the outer sole of a shoe.

10. A shoe shank comprising an elongated body of generally arcuate cross-section and having a lateral edge portion bent to provide a strengthening flange extending along the length of said body, said flange being adapted to lie against and conform with the outer face of the shoe insole with which it is associated.

11. A shoe shank comprising an elongated body adapted to contact the outer face of a shoe insole and having a central longitudinally-extending 5 bead formed therein, a lateral portion of the body being turned inwardly upon itself to provide a longitudinally-extending flange, the longitudinal edge of said flange being adapted to engage the inner face of the outer sole of a shoe.

FRANK A. MELCHIONNA. 

